1. Incorporation by Reference
Applicant hereby incorporates herein by reference, any and all U.S. patents, U.S. patent applications, and other documents and printed matter cited or referred to in this application.
2. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to cord, cable, rope and similar items and more particularly to an apparatus for anchoring and for organizing such items.
3. Description of Related Art
The following art defines the present state of this field:
Klamm, U.S. Des. 381,893 teaches a design with hooks at both ends and a loop at one end, but as a design patent it is not disclosed that the loop may be tightened or if it is a fixed constant diameter loop. Schwab et al '893 teaches an elastic with hook at one end and the remaining cord formed as a loop, which may be adjusted as to size. No eyelet is taught.
Yocom, U.S. Pat. No. 5,396,684 teaches an elastic with eyelets or hooks at both ends of an elastic or one of each at opposing ends. Schwab teaches the use of rings for forming loop in elastic members.
Tolan, U.S. Pat. No. 5,802,676 teaches a Velcro® type strap with a loop at one end. Leal teaches a hold-down strap with a hook at one end and a loop at the opposing end.
Durette, U.S. Pat. No. 6,317,938 teaches an elastic cord with loop and hook at one end.
Libecco, U.S. 2001/0001340 teaches an elastic cord with hooks at both ends and loop at one end, the loop depending on a rigid straight fixture with dual through holes for capturing the ends of the loop. Chou teaches a strap with hooks at opposing ends and a medial means for tightening the strap. Severson teaches a long strap with plural holes, one end of which may be looped.
Lesh, U.S. Pat. No. 170,573 and Schwab 4,569,108 each teaches an elastic band with hook at one end and loop at the other.
Leal, U.S. Pat. No. 6,041,960 describes an assembly for keeping a garbage can cover in close proximity to the garbage can. The device includes an elongate elastic cord having first and second ends. An eye-bolt is slidably disposed along the cord between the ends. The first end of the cord includes a permanent engagement structure, such as a loop. A hook or other releasable engagement is securely mounted to the second end of the cord. The device is used by securing the permanent engagement at the first end of the elastic cord to a first handle of the garbage can. The eye-bolt then is secured to the cover, and the hook at the second end of the cord is used to releasably engage the second handle. The contents of the garbage can can be accessed by removing the hook or other such releasable engagement from the second handle. The cover may then be dropped, but will remain in close proximity to the garbage can due to the attachment of the first end of the elastic cord to the can and the attachment of the eye-bolt to the cover.
Schwab et al., U.S. Pat. No. 4,885,824 describes an adjustable tension fastener which consists of a rigid loop-hook having a rigid loop member and a rigid hook member and a flexible cord connected to the rigid loop member by a pull-through knot for defining a tension portion and a reserve portion of the cord. A binder is used for selectively adjusting the length and tension of the tension portion and securing the rigid loop-hook to a portion of the flexible cord.
Schwab, U.S. Pat. No. 5,797,167 describes an elastic cord tie-down of the bungee or shock cord type and in which means are provided by which to manually adjust the article-engaging loop of the tie-down to articles of diverse geometries and dimensions.
Chou, U.S. 2002/0138952 describes a fastening rope having a buckle, two rope members and two hooking members. The rope members are each connected to the buckle from one end and the respective hooking member from other end. The rope members are elastic so they can stretch to fasten objects with the hooking members fixed in position. The fastening rope won't become loose when used to fasten cargos in a truck when the dimensions of the cargos become smaller due to shaking of the truck, change of position of the cargos or collision between the cargos.
Severson, U.S. 2002/0170149 describes a cord keeper strap having an elongated flexible strap with resilient elastic properties and a plurality of holes along its longitudinal axis. Through employment of a selected hole a cincture can be made about a cord. Other selected holes may be employed by a button fastener and to secure bundled or coiled articles for storage.
Our prior art search with abstracts described above teaches a shock cord, a bed-clothes holder, a closed loop-hook and elastic band fastener, an adjustable tension fastener, an electrical utensil cord-anchoring device, an elastic cord tie-down construction, a strap for securing a bundled cord and the like, a connection assembly for preventing the loss of a garbage can cover, a safety accessory for an elastic with hook combination fastener, an adjustable elastic tie-down cord, a fastening rope, and a cord keeper strap. The prior art, however, does not teach an elastic cord with a hook on one end thereof and a sliding loop a the opposing end, the loop providing an eye for receiving the hook. The present invention fulfills these needs and provides further related advantages as described in the following summary.